Pastor Michael delivers a powerful message from Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC where he shows us how God has marked us for a purpose – even when it feels like He hasn’t.
[Applause]
[Applause]
it feels like home in here okay so um
this feels too good right now like I’m
thousands of miles away from my home
church but it feels like we just copy
and paste it I feel your energy I feel
somebody came in here expecting God to
do something miraculous today and as
they were singing that song you are good
good
Oh Oh y’all know the song I just kept
thinking like God’s goodness goes over
and over and over and over it’s like
when we mess up he’s still good when
we’re frustrated he’s still good like
when we missed the mark he’s still good
and the fact that I’m standing here
today is a testament that God is good
and so what I want everybody cuz many
times people come into these
environments looking for a miracle but
what you don’t know is you’re standing
next to a miracle and so I just want you
to look at your neighbor and as you look
at your neighbor you’re just gonna say
god is good the fact that the fact that
they’re here like God is good cuz you’re
you’re a miracle you’re a walking
miracle God is good tonight this morning
whenever this is gonna be broadcast I’m
excited for what God is about to do are
you ready are you ready let’s give God
one shout of praise hallelujah
[Music]
all right take LC
I know Pastor Steven does it a certain
way and he told me to act like I’m at my
church today and and so that that’s what
I’m gonna do cuz you’ll be back up in a
minute before I start anything I have to
give honor where honor is due
um I know y’all hear this all the time
but you have two of the greatest leaders
not in North Carolina not in the u.s.
you have two of the greatest leaders and
pastor Stephen and Holly in the entire
world oh you can do better than that
they’re not here today but they should
be able to hear you from where every
Derrick yeah um I honored them the fact
that they would give me the opportunity
to speak in their absence
um it just means a whole bunch and
you’ll hear through the message a little
bit of my testimony about what God’s
done in that relationship but I just
wanted to honor them before I get
started
the elevation team everybody that’s here
um you guys are phenomenal and we just
appreciate you guys my wife is here and
the reason that that’s important is
because she’s fine
um the second the second reason that
that is important it’s her birthday
weekend and she oh yeah can y’all give
it up for Natalie over there
Peggle hi girl
are you doing you look good okay um she
allowed me to come minister on her
birthday weekend so we came out here and
I want to show you a picture of my
family we’ve been together for over 16
years dating and we’ve been married for
seven she’s my high school sweetheart
and um here’s a picture of our children
if they have it um this I have a
daughter named Isabella she’s four a son
named MJ and then a daughter that is six
months old
Ava and that’s our little family right
there and we’re just excited to be able
to represent God um I have a church
family back at home that’s watching
right now transformation church stand up
okay
I am so excited they’re flipping out
right now because this is a testimony of
what God is doing and I am so excited
for even my team that came right now I
got like ten people that came with me
that’s my squat big shizz what’s up bro
it’s my man all right now that all that
sounds away who’s ready for the Word of
God in this place okay so so when I came
um and and I I was asking the Lord what
do you want to say man I’m about to
preach a message that I’ve never
preached to our church to anybody’s
church um and God’s really giving me a
message because I believe there’s
somebody in here who’s been in a process
and they know there’s something inside
of them that God’s called you to that’s
bigger than what you’re experiencing
right now and it’s messed up because
your experience and your expectation
aren’t lining up like what you what you
know God has put in you and what you
currently going through does not look
like it’s the same but but God sent me
all the way from Tulsa Oklahoma to tell
somebody in this room that God has
marked you for destiny
that you are marked for more that you
are marked for purpose somebody just say
it with your chest say I’m marked the
title of today’s message is marked
because I begin to think about what God
wants to do in a believers life and how
he wants to take us to our purpose or to
the place that he’s called us to but
many times people get stopped delayed
discouraged in the process of going to
where God’s called him to go and and
what happens is the enemy comes to rob
them of the value they’ve stopped
thinking you stop thinking I’ve stopped
thinking that God had a plan for my life
because I went through some hard stuff
how many people have gone through some
hard stuff and what happens is many
times when we go through the hard stuff
we think that’s an indication that God
is not with us and maybe we missed it
and maybe he wants to use somebody more
qualified or maybe he wants to use
somebody else but I came to tell you
that in the midst of your trial in the
midst
the divorce in the midst of the lustful
relationship that God’s cutting off of
your life oh I saw you back there in the
midst of all of that God is saying I
still called you I still March you I
still have a plan for you my anointing
has not left just because you feel
lonely I am for you and you are marked
somebody say I’m marked oh it’s gonna be
fun in here tonight and so when I
thought about being marked I started
thinking about David uh and and I
started thinking about how he was marked
from a very young age but his process we
can learn a lot of stuff from David’s
process because he didn’t get anointed
or he wasn’t marked and then he just
went straight into his purpose there was
a process to getting to purpose and I
want to just help us cuz you may be in
the building today and you may be in one
of these steps and I want to let you
know that the things that have come to
discourage you don’t mean that you’re
not called it just means you’re in
process and so we’re gonna look at
David’s life and I want you to turn the
first samuel 16 and let me just give you
some backstory there was a king named
saul he was over all of the land he was
marked he was anointed but he stopped
started disobeying God and he started
doing things his own way God said I got
to choose another person and so um
there’s a prophet named Samuel and he’s
crying and he’s frustrated he’s like oh
my god I thought Saul was the man God
you showed me this he said he ain’t
listening to me so we got to get
somebody else and so he said get up stop
crying
I’m about to do a new thing and and then
he says go to the house of Jesse I want
to anoint one of his sons and this is
where we’re gonna pick up and I want to
read this passage of Scripture and then
I’m gonna give y’all some points and we
gonna shout and we gonna go home is that
okay we’re all okay verse 6 1st Samuel
16 verse 6 it says when they arrived
samuel took one look at iliad and
thought surely this is god’s anointed
but the Lord said to Samuel don’t judge
by his appearance or his height for I
have rejected him the Lord doesn’t see
things
means the way you see them aren’t you
glad that God doesn’t just have 20/20
vision that he has vision to look beyond
the person outward in their Instagram
followers and how many zeros they have
in their account and he sees the heart
and he says the Lord doesn’t see the way
things the way you see them people judge
by the outward appearance but the Lord
looks at the what the heart then Jesse
told this then Jesse told his son AB in
adapt to step forward and walk in front
of Samuel but Samuel said this is not
the one the Lord has chosen next Jesse
summoned Simeon but Samuel said neither
is this one
dang all my son’s is messed up verse 10
in the same way all seven of Jesse’s
sons were presented to Samuel but Samuel
said to Jesse the Lord has not chosen
any of these then Samuel asked are these
all the sons you have let me stop
because some of you are frustrated
because you’ve not been invited to a
party that is for your elevation but
they can’t move forward until you show
up see somebody is somewhere right now
asking is this it like like I know we
were supposed to move forward with this
but none of these have been chosen is
there anybody else and look what it says
it says well there is the youngest there
is the one that doesn’t have the college
education there is the one who was
molested when they were younger there is
the one and and it’s funny because so
many people that look at your situation
they look at what you’re deficient in
they look at what you don’t have and and
what others do have and they start to to
to name they didn’t even say David’s
name they started to identify him by his
characteristic well there is the
youngest one the one who’s out in the
field he’s watching sheep and goats like
isn’t that how we describe people
sometimes you know see the tall one with
the you know she got the you know she
got the
and come on y’all know y’all do it too
you know she’s a little uh and she got
the you know and and people don’t know
your heart but they’re describing what
they think about you and what they’re
doing is they’re trying to silently
disqualify you from being used by God oh
yes she was in that relationship with
what you were and I heard no no but see
God says I don’t define you by where
you’re at and what you’ve done and what
has happened I’m looking at what I want
to do with you somebody say I’m marked
he said sin for him at once samuel said
and we will not sit down to eat until he
arrives all the other brothers were mad
right there cuz it’s like we can’t eat
until he gets here okay so Jesse sent
for him he was dark and handsome with
beautiful eyes I don’t know it just
makes sense and the Lord said this is
the one anoint him mark him so as David
stood there among his brother Samuel
took the flask of oil that he had
brought an anointed David he marked
David with oil and the Spirit of the
Lord came powerfully upon David from
that day on somebody say I’m marked let
me tell you a little story um I have
four brothers and my oldest brother’s
name is Gabriel and when we were younger
me and him you know we used to get into
it a lot and so one day my mom’s a woman
of the Lord and a woman of Prayer and
usually she just says hey y’all stop in
the name of Jesus like that was her
discipline method and and one day she
got tired of us and she was like y’all
gonna fight and she was like yep y’all
gonna fight and we had just went to the
fair and we got those gloves like with
the the boxing gloves with the American
flag on them they’re there just for play
and see we both had a pair of gloves and
she was like now listen you guys are
gonna fight cuz you guys y’all I’m sick
of this and only body shots and y’all
are going to do it right now and we were
down in her bedroom and I said oh cuz
I’m a little more athletic than my
brother else like I’m a whoop
and what ends up happening in that
moment is we started fighting on Papa
Papa and he’s like stop stop and I’m
just whooping up on it and for a little
brother to be beating up on his big
brother this is the dream of century and
your mom is like get him get him I’m
like yeah yes and and so all I remember
is that my brother got mad and he turned
over cuz all the cushion was on this
side of the glove he turned his hand
over and he dropped back like this and I
just remember laughing and then he swung
by and he hit me right in the head and
all of the blood went from my toes and
it froze up to my head and I literally
just passed out and I got up I said
there was no body it was supposed to be
body shots you hit me in the head he
said you made me mad and and and and at
that moment I remembered something when
I think about people who are marked
there’s no hit like the hit you don’t
see coming when you think that we’re
just playing body shots and then you get
hit in the head it knocks you off the
same way that in life when you’re going
through and you think I’m giving I’m
serving I’m doing all these things and
then sickness comes or one of your kids
has it has a child out of wedlock or you
getting met in and what happens is we
don’t see the hit coming and many of you
get knocked out and some of us are
sitting and we don’t want to get back up
but I came to tell you today that
there’s some hits that I want you to see
coming see because if you see them
coming you can put up your dudes and you
can say yeah yeah I saw what you were
trying to do but this is not gonna take
me out and so these next few points that
I’m gonna give you are things that are
going to happen if you are marked if you
are marked now some of y’all y’all might
not be marching like I don’t want to be
used by God God you can use somebody
else like if that’s you this ain’t for
you but if you want to be used by God
these hits are coming
but if I tell you they’re coming when
you see them you know what to do so so
y’all ready to find out what you’re
supposed to do how many marks people do
I have in the building right then okay
okay so the first point if you’re marked
you’re gonna be approved in private
uh-oh
see because in 2018 we want everybody to
see us getting approved we want
everybody to know that we’re the next
thing coming and God’s hand it’s on our
lives and we will be and God says if
you’re mark you’re gonna be approved in
private there will only be a few people
that get to see the foundation in the
sieve form of what I’m about to do in
your life so this won’t be possible out
here with Pastor Steven I’m marked no
baby
like like that’s not going to be the
thing David was not even invited to the
party and they sit for him and it was
not in front of the whole town it was in
front of his family members and he was
marked and approved in private and I
don’t know who I’m talking to but you’ve
been looking for somebody of status to
tell you you’re doing a good job but God
already said you are a good job when he
put his hand on you when he started
talking about you before you were formed
in your mother’s will I feel something
he said I knew you I called you but that
means you’re not gonna get the cosign of
all your friends that means that you may
not be recognized by everybody who’s
being recognized but God said that
didn’t devalue who I made you to be no
no no no you’re still marked it’s just
that everybody cannot see you in seed
form cuz if we look at it through the
Bible it’s the easiest to kill
somebody’s potential and dreams when
it’s a baby just think about it they
tried to kill Jesus when he was 8 they
literally clean every male child under
the age of 2 because it’s easier to kill
your dream to kill your purpose
when it’s in seed form and God said you
need to hush and keep some of the things
that I’m doing in you to yourself
he said because you’ve all come on you
don’t need everybody to co-sign what I’m
about to do in your life you’re gonna be
a prude
in private now that was what somebody
came for you came just for that you said
that’s fantast Mike that’s all I needed
I marked see see see David was always
found doing the last thing God told him
to do and spending time in the presence
of God
well Pastor Mike what do I do the last
thing God told you to do and spend time
in the presence of God the Bible over
and over and over says and God was with
David and God was with David and God was
with there you can research it it’s just
and God was with David and I said why
was God with David it’s and and the Holy
Spirit said because David was with me
see a lot of people want God to be with
them but they don’t spend any time with
him and so you cannot be with somebody
that you’re not with and so some of you
are in a place and you know there’s a
dream and a vision and a business and
and in a book in a and and there’s
something on the inside of you and
you’re like God what I do he said the
last thing I told you to do and spend
time with me see because David probably
solved the caravan coming when they were
coming to his dad’s house but he didn’t
run out there to say hey God’s called me
he was doing the last thing he was told
to do and they sent for him see see many
of us are in places where we’re trying
to be seen and God says if you do what I
told you they will send for you Oh y’all
missed it somebody over here understands
what I’m saying you’re trying to be seen
and God says if you do the last thing I
told you and spend time with me they’ll
send for you and so I just want
everybody as pastor Stephen has said
before move all your validation meters
to the inside I’m not going to be
looking for anybody else’s approval
except God because
I’m gonna be approved in private if
you’re marked let me give you number two
you’re gonna be anointed before you’re
positioned now this one messes with
people because cuz David gets anointed
by Samuel in front of all of his
brothers and where was his next
destination not to the palace not to his
purpose it was back to the field doing
what he was doing before he was anointed
I’m pausing like cuz I’m anointed now
and God I got spoke to me in that
conference and I lifted my hands and I
mean I feel it like and we do all of
this stuff and then God says now go back
to that job and be my light no no no god
I’m anointed I’m supposed to be over
this company he said no no you’re
anointed before your position dad the
purpose is for you to to be over this
company one day or start your own he
said but I’m gonna send you back to the
same place and see if the anointing on
your life changes the atmosphere that
you’re in oh come on
imma see if you can go back into that
school and make a difference without a
title I’m gonna go see if you can go
into that place where there’s no
believers and begin to move something
from me and this is where most people
get frustrated because we don’t know how
to handle the weight most of us wait
like this oh my god God how long am I
gonna be here God if you’ll just move me
I know I’m called for more you watching
a Hillsong channel every day like that’s
me and you won’t even service her youth
girl stop like it like what I’m telling
you is all come on now
see a platform is just a raised position
of what would you would do on the floor
[Applause]
o-tama briefs down here like I’m gonna
freeze up here I’m gonna serve down here
all your income what I’m telling you is
that yes you’re marked yes God has
called you but you’re not going to the
palace first you’re going back to where
God brought you from and he wants to see
can you do something there so past
object I’ve been serving in eg it’s all
this time I’ve been serving in this area
and he said yeah and you’re marked
you’re called and they’re not no they’re
not gonna recognize me and you’re not
getting a promotion
not gonna happen no no no you you just
go back there and you serve and you love
and you keep picking up those people and
you kick because just because you don’t
have a title or a position does not make
you less anointed and and that’s what
God is saying from David’s life he says
you’re gonna be anointed before your
position and I came to tell somebody
who’s been struggling and grappling with
where you’re at is your steel marked I
just feel somebody right now saying God
but if I’m marked why is this still
happening and God says I want you to I
want you to give me a proverbs 3:5 I
want you to trust in the Lord with all
your heart and don’t depend on your own
ungodly don’t make sense why am I still
single Lord I’m fine
I should have a man he said don’t depend
on that see you wanna you you’re marked
and now you want that so if you like it
you should have put a ring on it status
he said I want you to go back and be
safe in your singleness for a second let
me work on you in that let me develop
you
he said because if you let me do I feel
happy right now
if
let me do it he says I’ll bring you to
the place that you really want to be so
if you’re Mart you’ll trust in the Lord
with all your heart don’t depend on your
own understanding seek God’s will
in everything you do and he will direct
your path or tell you which path to take
if you’re marked write this down
you become the answer to a problem see
David then goes back to the field and he
knows he got a little extra anointing
juice a little hair grease in his hair
but he went back to do the same thing
that he was doing and he was doing it
gratefully and one day the saw was being
tormented by evil spirits and one of his
assistants say yo we should get somebody
in here to kill the guitar and to
torment those demons and there’s like
y’all know anybody he was like well
Jesse has a boy then I was walking by
the other day as he was out there with
the Sheep and he was like yeah like he
was killing the guitar and I just feel
like if we brought him in here then then
and they sent for David but they sent
for him not because he was anointing or
not because he was marked they sent for
him because he was the answer to a
problem and many of us are in positions
and were ready to go to another level
but we’re not coming with any answers I
want you to hear me some of you young
people that are in hearing like I know
I’m called for greatness I dare you to
get under a leader and I dare you to
torment what torments them that’s what
David did right here he tormented what
was tormenting his leader and his whole
life changed because they sit for him
and he was the answer to a problem I
came to tell you that you’re marked and
you do not have to be in the leadership
position to be the answer to a problem
if there’s something going wrong you say
I can step in and I can feel that gap if
there’s a break you can be the one to do
it and I just came to encourage somebody
that you are the answer to a problem but
I want you to realize this that Dave
first time to the palace the place that
he would ultimately be king it was not
as a leader it was as a servant what are
you trying to say fasting like God will
allow you to taste the place you’re
going to be if you’ll serve Oh
some of y’all met the girl in the
backlight oh my god
I got oh my god I’m just trying to tell
you that the first time David ever goes
to the palace was not with royal
cherubims and all that he went as a
servant and and I’m just telling you
that God’s gonna do something in your
life that he’s gonna allow you to be
around people see things and allow you
to serve in the place that you will
ultimately be an influencer in it’ll be
your purpose it’ll be the palace for you
but you go there as an answer to a
problem and I just want you to hear my
heart cuz these blows are coming and the
enemy will try to challenge you they
don’t want to hear from you you don’t
have anything to offer you’re too young
and God says I marked you I called you I
give you witty inventions and ideas I I
wake you up in the middle of the night
and give you the song here I won’t be on
this elevation project but wait till the
next three come out do you see what I’m
saying we want the gratification now and
God says I’m trying to build something
in you for the future if you would hear
my voice you’re marked and when I look
at this and David’s life then we keep
going in his story and literally later
on y’all got to go read first Samuel all
the way sixteen seventeen eighteen just
go read the whole thing because I
started to see that many people get
thrown off in this process but when you
realize your mark and you see these
things come in God will use you you’ll
be able to duck some glows and block
these things like this next one when
you’re marked your opportunity is
wrapped in obedience see many of us are
looking for opportunity but God packages
it in obedience can I help you so now
David is doing dual duty between playing
guitar at the palace and tormenting what
torment says later but he still has the
humility to come back and sir
his father where most of us we wouldn’t
do that I know me I would be like uh
yeah yeah that’s crazy man
hey yeah just came to see you so what’s
going on how’s everything here you know
I work at the palace you know what I’m
saying I’m working with all these upper
echelon people and then his dad gives
them an instruction hey will you take
these grilled cheese sandwiches to your
brother and the captain’s out here on
the field and most of us would be like
grilled cheese bread and loaves
dad I work at the palace man like I’ve
passed that like I’ve passed serving and
opening doors for people I’m on the
platform I passed come on that that’s
honestly this is this is beyond I’ve
passed that but David was humble enough
to know that whenever he was asked to do
something and it was God that he would
be obedient and I want you to realize
cuz many of you know the story that his
obedience to take the grilled cheese
sandwiches to his brothers in the
captains was what opened up his
opportunity to face Goliath if he had
not been obedient he wouldn’t have been
at the place of opportunity and what I’m
telling you is God told you yeah keep
working that job or go give that single
mother your car or go do this thing and
God said it don’t have to make sense
it’s gonna make a miracle it does not
have to make Oh y’all didn’t hear me it
does not have to make sense but it’s
gonna make a miracle and what I’m
telling you is your next opportunity is
not wrapped up in networking it’s not
wrapped up in who you know and who’s
following you it’s wrapped up in
obedience
somebody say obedience I’m telling you
your obedience is better than any
sacrifice you can make and David was
obedient and he got his next opportunity
which and this is one I just want to
throw in like first Samuel 17 and and
I’ll go to verse 20 it’s funny because
he’s gonna be obedient it says so David
left the sheet with another Shepherd and
he set out early the next morning with
the gifts as Jesse had directed him so
he was going to be obedient but I just
want to throw in this nugget for free
I’m
when God gives you something else to do
you don’t leave the other thing that he
told you to do undone no look at it
so David left the sheep with another
shepherd he left his responsibilities
with somebody else that would be
responsible for it and I just see this
neglect happening in the body of Christ
where oh no now God’s called me to this
and you just left that just jacked up
and God’s saying no no I’ve called you
to steward over everything that I’ve
given you
and so now David comes to the point
where you’re gonna come if you’re marked
that you’re gonna be elevated through
obstacles see this is the one that most
people when they’re mark this the one
that knocks them down because now he
sees Goliath and the entire children of
Israel the entire army that are trained
to fight are paralyzed because they have
met an obstacle named Goliath and when
you’re marked God intentionally allows
obstacles because it will be a vehicle
of elevation watch he walks up Goliath
is taunting everybody this uncircumcised
philistine talking about my daddy
hey bro he huge Road look at him like
he’s talking he’d been doing this for 40
days what are y’all gonna do is today
I’m about to deal with him can you tell
me what the reward is for knocking this
fool out and he comes up to this
situation but the only reason he can
face a situation that looks like an
obstacle like an opportunity is because
God has changed his perspective watch
this see when he walks up to an obstacle
like you’re gonna walk up to a nice
obstacle you don’t have enough money or
they denied you for the loan or they
told you you aren’t accepted to the
thing we usually retreat but God says
step towards it
yeah cuz this obstacle was not meant to
take you out do you know who’s on your
side if God be for you who can be
against you he said I’m on your side and
because I’m on your side
you need to step towards it everybody I
just want you to in your mind and I want
you to realize that whatever is coming
out you step towards it step towards
that thing they told you you can never
have kids step towards it in faith
I’m telling well the presence of God
they told you that your children would
never be safe step towards it in the
name every time you see him you will be
and do everything God’s called you to do
and and David was able to step towards
opposition because this wasn’t the first
time he admitted he tells Saul oh this
is light work cuz when nobody was
looking and the bear came to attack my
sheep when there was no interest or ease
and there was nobody looking for me he
said I took care of the bear and then a
lion came and I took care of the lion
and the same God that did it back then
is the same God that’s don’t do it right
now I came to encourage you that you
have not seen an obstacle that is bigger
than our God you have not faced a cancer
a sickness a trial that is bigger than
our God there’s somebody to give our God
a shout of praise
Darla’s bigger and so david knew that he
was about to be elevated through this
obstacle because maybe the world hadn’t
seen it yet but because he was approved
in private and he was anointed before he
was positioned he was practicing his
reps before anybody saw him what are you
saying passed on my God’s saying do what
you gonna do and get good at it right
now
oh come on keep keep doing what you keep
riding kids speaking heat-loving and he
said it David said this is the first
time it’s gonna be televised but it’s
not the first time I’ve done it and too
many people are trying to step on a
platform and it’s the first time they’ve
done it and God said you weren’t
faithful in the pasture when nobody was
looking but because you’re marked God
says can’t doing it right now and we
know the story that David then picks up
five smooth stones in his slingshot and
why is this important it’s because of my
next point that if you’re marked you got
to be you see a lot of people try to put
you into a box of what you should do but
David he was marked and so he said I
they tried to put Saul’s armor on him
and he said this won’t fit me yet like
one day I’ll be the king like one day
I’ll be able to do this but it don’t fit
me yet so if I try to get in your skin
and talk like you and do everything that
you do and walk your path it won’t fit
so I got to do what I know and when
you’re marked you may be the first of
your current kind but you got to do what
you know and so God said I want to use
your courts and your humor and you’re
just strangely weird but we’re gonna use
everything weird about you we’re gonna
use all of that but you gotta be you and
so he goes and picks up the the stones
and his slingshot and I bet the whole
army was laughing I look at this boy
look at him
vessel knuckle now with the rock okay
but David wasn’t worried about a hater
because he had done it before and many
of us are worried about people and God
says don’t worry about anybody don’t
look to the left or to the right I am
the God who is your provider I’m the one
that will meet your need why do you say
he’s the God that’s provided cuz David
picked up five stones but only needed
one
oh that tells me that my God shall
supply all of your need he’ll give you
more than enough he knocks him down
because he was marked cuts off his head
because he was marked and then he goes
on to becoming this great warrior and he
goes on this process to become the king
but saw one day heard the people talking
and they were singing a song that’s that
David slew his ten thousands but saw his
thousands and so I was like what and
jealousy in comparison creeped into his
heart and he was still in position but
the anointing had left cannot can I help
you that everybody in position is not
anointed for it and so so David went on
the run for over a decade
because Saul was trying to kill him and
let me tell you you’ll have people in
your life even people who are close to
you that you fought for that you won
victories for that somehow it may get
turned or or changed in the
relationships not the same and and David
had the opportunity to turn and makes
all his enemy make his leader his enemy
but he didn’t David had the thing that
you’re gonna have and my last point he
had the audacity to honor
see when you’re marked you’re gonna have
the audacity to honor yeah that boss is
horrible that you have right now but God
is asking you to honor them your parents
may not understand everything that God’s
doing in your life but God’s asking you
to honor them like literally you ain’t
got nobody literally trying to kill you
like he had somebody trying to kill him
but he had the audacity to honor the
Bible tells us that there was one time
where David and his men went on the run
and they were in the cave and and and
Saul came into the cave the Bible tells
us to relieve himself and and and Dave
his boys like there he go and David’s
like that’s a good idea we’ve been on
the road we can actually get somewhere
and David gets close enough to him to
literally take him out and he cuts off a
piece of his rope and look what the
Bible says in 1st Samuel 24 6 it says so
he said to his men may the Lord not let
me put out my hand against my leader
home is this the same guy that’s been
trying to kill us yeah but he’s still in
position sometimes you have to honor
people’s position even when their
character doesn’t line up with it
because God’s not look oh come on
because God’s not looking at their
response the anointing is already left
he’s looking at your response he’s
trying to see can you be elevated
through this moment of Honor what I’m
telling you is go back to that job and
say what can I do for you sir what can I
do for you ma’am because God’s not
looking to get even with them he’s
looking for your response to honor and
David honored this man cuz he said he’s
the Lord’s Chosen now this messes me up
because he trying to kill me and you
still said he’s chosen until God moves
him out of place
he still chosen what I’m telling you is
when you’re marked you’re gonna have to
honor people who have who have done
things to make them not honorable
and God puts that in our path to test
our heart he said where does elevation
come from you or from me and you’re
gonna have to have the audacity to honor
I came to encourage somebody who’s been
in this process wait we’re God where you
been like honor are you with me say yeah
you’re just in the process yeah i
anointed you in private
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah you you you
like you you were approved before
anybody saw that he said you’re anointed
before your position he said I’m gonna
make you the answer to somebody’s
problem he said yeah yeah oh yeah yeah
yeah you gotta realize that your next
opportunity is wrapped in obedience just
to do what I said and you’re gonna be
elevated through obstacles and if you
would just have the audacity to honor
I’ll write a story in your life that
when you stand before people they will
be able to say that as nobody but God
who is marked their life who in this
building has been marked by God and I’m
telling you y’all sit down sit down I
got four minutes step so so pastor
Stephen asked me to tell the story of
how God’s been doing this in my life cuz
somebody I’m like who is this guy that
just comes up here screaming in this
long shirt and and talking like okay let
me just tell you I’m nobody who was
approved in private this is not this is
not a story of me working my way to a
position this marked message is what I’m
living before you right now I came I
came here at inside elevation two years
ago and I didn’t have a ticket thousand
people waiting list and I asked my wife
the day before inside elevation can I
spend a lot of money a lot of our money
and we only got a little cuz I feel like
God’s telling me I need to be at this
meeting she said I trust you if if you
feel like this is God I flew out here at
6 a.m. on a Monday morning and I got
here at 1 o’clock and I stood outside
and I met Johnny Merkel and he was just
so
mean man I love what God’s doing but I
don’t have a seat for you but I love
what God’s doing and you’re like he was
so gracious and I paid my money and I
sat there and they said we can’t promise
you anything and so i sat there and i
sat there and i sat there and I said God
didn’t you didn’t you tell me to come
out here didn’t you tell me to do this
he said yeah
okay god I’m just gonna trust you I’m
gonna obey even though this doesn’t make
sense at 7:05 they came to me and said
somebody cancelled and praise and
worship had already started and they
walked me through this door right here
nobody knew me nobody knew anything and
they set me in this seat right here and
I sat in this seat right here and I
heard pastor Stephen begin to speak into
my destiny that I was supposed to go pro
and win from within and do all this
other stuff and I said god I just thank
you that you marked me and you confirmed
it in me and I went home to Tulsa in
August
God said Michael I don’t want you to
smooth I don’t want you to position
yourself I don’t want you to go into
green rooms I don’t want you to do none
of that
and pastor Stephen and elevation Church
has made a major impact on my life I go
into the room um and I hear about a
conference my friend is doing Paul
Doherty at Victory Church and I call him
and I was like a man pastor Stephens
gonna be there can I come is I get
robbed I’ll put you right next to him
and and and and God said okay Michael
when you go in there don’t meet him
don’t meet Steven Furtick
but don’t meet and I was sitting right
behind him and God said will you have
the audacity to honor me and obey me
because the story I want to build is not
something you made happen it’s something
I’m gonna make happen I’m just trying to
tell you right now so Paul’s on the
stage Pastor Steven and chunks are
sitting right in front of me and I’m
right here in Paul says turn around to
your neighbor and greet your neighbor I
like Dave hello Susan
hello and I met a woman named Susan but
I knew God didn’t want to do it like
that this is in August 2017 October I
get a random DM on Instagram hey check
check your messages right now by
somebody who works on staff here I said
huh she said Pastor Steven wants to talk
to you I said they must got some other
Stevens at that church I checked my text
message and I had a minute and 41 voice
note from Pastor Steven he was searching
a message on YouTube and mine was the
next one and he set there and watched
the whole thing and he called me and had
his people find me to tell me that I was
called and I was anointed I was Mariana
now don’t hear me now don’t hear me
he cold now look I didn’t do anything
they sit for me I didn’t make it happen
for me hear what I’m saying to you
October he sends the voice message I
send them a video back saying thank you
three weeks before inside elevation I
get a call at the church my lead
executive director answers the phone and
says and they asked me to come speak the
weekend after Easter
I had planned to come back to inside
elevation so now I come back to inside
elevation and the year before twelve
months before I didn’t have a seat in
the auditorium every session I was
escorted to a seat with my name I did
somebody to see that you don’t have to
do what God already will do because you
are mark and I have gone from a place of
obscurity to a platform because I was
doing the last thing God told me to do
and spending time in his presence
I came to encourage you today that God
sees you that he hears you you don’t
need anybody to cosign what God is doing
in your life cuz you’re marked by God
you’re marked for
and God is good he is faithful so I want
to pray for everybody who’s marked if
you feel like that’s you and you’re in
one of those steps the process can you
just lift your hands in this building I
don’t care what campus you’re at I don’t
care if you’re at Rock Hill I don’t care
if you’re at Asheville I don’t care if
you’re in Toronto father I thank you
that you see her people father you have
marked us for greatness you’ve marked us
for destiny and I speak against the lies
of the enemy that have told us to stop I
come against every person that feels
paralyzed because of the hits of life
father you have called us you’ve
appointed us and father we’re in process
I thank you that we’ll be faithful in
the pasture that we’ll be obedient in
the process and God you’ll take us to
the palace not because we’re good but
it’s because you’re good and so we trust
you we believe you and we thank you
somebody give God some praise
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